Electrical fuse cutout



Feb. 12, 1952 A. G 's sc P 2,585,003

ELECTRICAL FUSE CUTOUT Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR ROBERT A. GESELLSCHAP I i I J V BY ATTORNEY 1952 R. A. GESELLSCHAP 2,585,003

ELECTRICAL FUSE CUTOUT Filed D60. 5, 1949 2 SHEET-SSHEET 2 7 FIG. 3. 5 m g/ 1.

" INVENTOR-- ATTORNEY/ ROBERT A.- GESELLSCH'AP? Patented Feb. 12, 1952 ELECTRICAL FUSE CUTOUT Robert A. Gesellschap, Kirkwood, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 5, 1949, Serial No. 131,215

Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical fuse cutouts and more specifically to electrical fuse cutouts of the trip-out type which heretofore included fuse cartridges that housed fuse links and which wer released and tripped out of their normal effective positions between contacts of the cutouts on rupture of the fuse links to provide wide separation between said contacts of the cutouts and thus prevent arcing after the fuse links were ruptured, the predominant obbject of the invention being to provide an improved and greatly simplified cutout of this type which is capable of performing its intended function in an improved and highly efiicient manner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the improved fuse cutout of this invention, the support for the cutout being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, inverted plan view of the cutout shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, A designates generally the cutout shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The cutout A comprises a suitable supporting insulator I, said insulator being embraced by a band 2 that is suitably connected to a bracket 3 which in turn is secured to a support S, a pole crossarm, for instance. Secured to the insulator l at the upper end thereof is a block 4 to which is fixed an incoming terminal 5, and secured to said insulator l at the lower end thereof is a block 6 to which is fixed an outgoing terminal I. The incoming' terminal 5 has mechanically and electrically connected thereto bymeans of a connector 8 an incoming conductor 8, while an outgoing conductor I0 is mechanically and electrically connected to the outgoing terminal 1 by means of a connector H. Secured by fastening means l2 to the block 4 at the upper end of the insulator l, and in electrical contact with the incoming terminal 5, is an upper contact [2, said contact hav-' ing an upwardly extended loop portion l2a, which is engaged by the fastening means 12', spaced and substantially parallel portions I2b in which coiled portions I20 are formed, flared portions I2d which are extended from the forward portions of said substantially parallel portions I2b, upwardly extended portions l2e at the forward ends of said flared portions Hot, and a bridge portion l2j which joins the upper ends of said upwardly extended portions l2e. Also, the flared portions l2d have downwardly offset portions 12g formed therein, as is shown in Fig. 1, at the points where said substantially parallel portions l2b merge into said flared portions I241.

The outgoing terminal 1 includes a forwardly extended portion l3 which is provided at its outer end with a rounded head 14 and extended outwardly in opposite directions from the opposite faces of said head is a pair of trunnions l5. Associated with the outgoing terminal I is a hinge member 16 that is provided with a bifurcated rear portion, the spaced legs of which are disposed at opposite sides of the head M of the outgoing terminal 1. The spaced legs of the bifurcated rear portion of the hinge member l8 are provided with downwardly extended hookshaped portions I! which provide elongated openings 18 that are open at their forward portions, seats I9 being provided at the upper ends of said elongated openings 18 which engage and ride on the trunnions I5 of the outgoing terminal 1.. The hinge member It includes, also, an upwardly extended hook-shaped portion 20 which serves a purpose to be hereinafter explained, and said hinge member is provided with a forwardly extended portion 2|. At the forward end of the forwardly extended portion 2| of the hinge member 1.6 an upwardly extended. bearing element 22 is provided and this bearing element extends into a member 23 that is fixed to an elongated element 24 formed of electrical insulating material, Bakelite, for instance. The elongated element may be of solid rod. construction or of tubular formation, as desired, and a portion of said elongated element extends below the forward portion of the member 23 which embraces said elongated element. The rear portion of the member 23 is of inverted, U-shaped cross sectional shape, the bearing element of the hinge member l6 being disposed in the hollow interior of said rear portion of said hinge member, and a pivot element 25 which extends through apertures formed in the opposed walls of the rear portion of the member 23 and through an opening formed through the bearing member, pivotally attaches said hinge member It to said member 23.

The elongated element 24 is provided at its upper end with a cap 26 which is provided with.

an upwardly projected finger 21, and extended forwardly from this cap is an arm 28, said arm including a downwardly projected portion 29 through which an opening 30 is formed. The finger 21 of the cap 26 at the upper end of the elongated element '24 normally projects between forward parts of the substantially parallel portions l2b of the upper contact 12 with parts of said substantially parallel contact portions contacting with the upper surface of the cap 28, and with the downwardly offset portions no of said upper contact disposed immediately forward of the top portion of said cap 26 (Fig. 1). Also, the hinge member |6 has fixed thereto a strip of spring metal 3| which in the fused position of the cutout A extends forwardly and upwardly, as is shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the elongated element 24 normally contacting with said strip. The outer end portions of the arm 28 and the strip 3| have secured thereto the opposite end portions of a fuse link 32, said fuse link comprising opposed cable portions 32a and 322) which are joined by a fusible fuse link section 320. The fuse link 32 includes a short fiber tube 33 that embraces the fusible section of the link and adjacent portions of the cable portions, said tube preferably being secured to the cable portion 32a. The cable portion 32a is secured by means of a clip 34 and a nut and wing nut assembly 35 to the forward end portion of the arm 28, and the cable portion 32b is secured to the rearwardly bent forward portion of the strip 3| by means of a clip 36 and a nut and wing nut assembly 31.

The outgoing terminal 1 has fixed thereto by the fastening device 1' a spring element 33, said spring element having a rear, elongated loop portion 38a from upper portions of which spaced, forwardly curved and downwardly extended spring legs are projected. The lower portions of the spring legs of the spring element 38 contact. with pins 39 which extend outwardly in opposite directions from the hinge member l6 and when the cutout is in the fused position said spring legs, which are maintained under tension by the pins 39, tend to rotate said hinge member about the trunnions of the outgoing terminal so as to move the forwardly extended portion of said hinge member in a downward direction.

When the cutout A of this invention is in the fused position the outer portion of the strip of spring material 3| is flexed upwardly and the tendency of said strip to return to its normal position places the fuse link 32 under tension. Also, the strip of spring material 3| supports the elongated element 24 in an elevated position where the ringer 21 of the cap 26 at the upper end of said elongated element extends between parts of the substantially parallel portions |2b of the upper contact I2, where portions of the upper contact engage the top surface of the cap 26, and where the downwardly offset portions |2g are disposed immediately forward of the top portion of said cap 26. When, with the cutout in the fused position as described, an electrical fault of sufficient magnitude occurs in the circuit in which the cutout is interposed, the fusible section of the fuse link 32 is immediately ruptured and the outer end portion of the strip of spring material 3| snaps downwardly so as to quickly pull the rupture ends of the fuse link apart. This removes the support for the lower end of the elongated element 24, and the spaced legs of the spring element 38 acting against the pins 39 of the hinge member I6 rotate said hinge member about the trunnions |5. This results in lowering of the pivot connection between the hinge member I6 and the member 23 produced by the pivot 25 with a resultant lowering of the elongated element, and when said elongated element has been lowered sufficiently to withdraw the finger 2'! of the cap 26 of said elongated element from between portions of the upper contact|2 and to move said cap 26 out of contact engagement with said upper contact, the elongated element 24 and the parts supported thereby drop downwardly and outwardly about the trunnions |5 to the position in which said parts are shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

To refuse a cutout which has tripped out as described above, the finger of a suitable switch stick is caused to engage the hook-shaped portion 20 of the hinge member I6 and the unit B of which the elongated element 24 forms a part is disconnected from the trunnions l5 and is lowered to the ground. The ruptured fuse link is then replaced by an intact fuse link and the unit B is raised and the hinge member l6 thereof is caused to engage the trunnions |5. At this point the elongated element 24 of the unit B will be in the position in which it is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the finger of the switch stick is then inserted in the opening 30 of the portion 29 of the arm 28, whereupon the unit B is swung upwardly about the trunnions I5 to the closed switch position, as is shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

The form of the invention illustrated by Fig. 6 comprises an insulator 40 having saddles 4| and 42 secured thereto at the upper and lower end portions thereof, the saddle 4| supporting an incoming terminal 43 and the saddle 42 supporting an outgoing terminal 44 to which incoming and outgoing electrical conductors are connected. The saddle 4| has secured thereto a forwardly extended upper contact 45 which is provided with an upwardly curved keeper portion 46, and the saddle 42 has fixed thereto a bifurcated hinge element 41, the spaced legs of said hinge element being provided with alined openings 48. The upper contact and the hinge element support a unit C which includes an elongated. tubular element 49 to which is fixed at its upper end portion a member 50 having spaced upstanding ears 5|. In like manner, the tubular element 49 has fixed to its lower end portion a member 52 which is provided with a rearwardly projected extension 53.

The unit C of the cutout of Fig. 6 includes, also, a lower arm 54 which is provided with trunnions 55 that extend outwardly from the rear portion of said arm in opposite directions and are dis posed in the openings 48 of the hinge element 41, and also at the rear portion of said lower arm 54 an upwardly extended portion 56 is provided to which the extension 53 of the member 52 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot element 51. The member 50 at the upper end of the tubular element 49 has pivotally connected thereto by means of a pivot element 58 an upper arm 59, said upper arm having an upturned extension 60 at its rear end whose outer end portion is normally seated in the curved seat 46 of the upper contact 45. Disposed within the tubular element 49 is a fixed rod |i| which provides seats for the inner ends of a pair of coil springs 62 and 63, the outer end of the coil spring 62 contacting with the upper arm 59, while the outer end of the coil spring 63 contacts with the lower arm 54. The coil springs 62 and 63 tend to move the outer end portions of the arms 54 and 59 in directions away from each other, and such movement of said outer end portions of said arms is prevented by a fuse link 64 which is connected at its opposite ends to said outer end portions of said arms 54 and 59, said fuse link having a fusible section which is embraced by a fiber tube 65. Additionally, the cutout of Fig. 6 includes a spring element 66 which is secured to the saddle 42 and is provided with an upwardly projected extension 66 which contacts with the upwardly extended portion 55 of lower arm 54, said spring element tending to rotate the forward portion of the lower arm downwardly.

When the cutout is in its effective position the unit C thereof is supported as shown in Fig. 6, but when a fault of sufficient magnitude occurs in the circuit in which the cutout is interposed, the fusible section of the fuse link is ruptured. This relieves the outer end portions of the arms 54 and 59 from the restraint normally imposed thereon by an intact fuse link and permits the coil springs 62 and 63 to move the outer end portions of the arms 54 and 59 outwardly away from each other to pull the ruptured ends of the fusible section of the fuse link 64 apart. Also, the outward movement of the forward portion of the upper arm 59 will lower the extension 60 of said upper arm relative to the seat 46, and the spring element 65 acting against the portion 56 of the lower arm 54 will rotate the unit C downwardly and outwardly about the trunnions 55.

I claim:

1. An electrical fuse cutout comprising an in sulating support, an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal supported by said insulating support, an elongated element formed of elec trical insulating material, a member supported for hinging movement by said insulating support, an element supported by said elongated element and hingedly connected to said member, electrical conductive means for supporting said elongated element in its effective position, and means including a fuse link disposed exteriorly of said elongated element for releasing said elongated element from said conductive means for hinging movement out of its effective position on rupture of said fuse link, said member having an extended part to which an end portion of said fuse link is attached and which is movable downwardly on rupture of said fuse link, and means supported by said elongated element exteriorly thereof to which the opposite end portion of said fuse link is attached.

2. An electrical fuse cut out comprising an insulating support, an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal supported by said insulating support, an elongated element formed of electrical insulating material, a member supported for hinging movement by said insulating support, an element supported by said elongated element and hingedly connected to said member, electrical conductive means for supporting said elongated element in its effective position, means including a fuse link disposed exteriorly of said elongated element for releasing said elongated element from said conductive means for hinging movement out of its effective position on rupture of said fuse link, said member having an extended part to which an end portion of said fuse link is attached and which is movable downwardly on rupture of said fuse link, and an arm supported by said elongated element exteriorly thereof to which the opposite end portion of said fuse link is attached.

3. An electrical fuse cutout comprising an insulating support, an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal supported by said insulating support, an elongated element formed of electrical insulating material, a member supported for hinging movement by said insulating support, an element supported by said elongated element and hingedly connected to said member, electrical conductive means for supporting said elongated element in its effective position,

means including a fuse link disposed exteriorly of said elongated element for releasing said elongated element from said conductive means for hinging movement out of its effective position on rupture of said fuse link, said member having an extended part to which an end portion of said fuse link is attached and which is movable downwardlyon rupture of said fuse link, an arm supported by said elongated element exteriorly thereof to which the opposite end portion of said fuse link is attached, and spring means acting against said member in a manner which tends to move the extended part of said member in a downward direction.

4. An electrical fuse cutout comprising an insulating support, an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal supported by said insulating support, an elongated element formed of electrical insulating material, a member supported for hinging movement by said insulating support which supports said elongated element, an element supported by said elongated element and hingedly connected to said member, electrical conductive means for supporting said elongated element in its effective position, means including a fuse link disposed exteriorly of said elongated element for releasing said elongated element from said conductive means for hinging movement out of its effective position on rupture of said fuse link, said member having an extended part to which an end portion of said fuse link is attached and which is movable downwardly on rupture of said fuse link, and an arm supported by said elongated element exteriorly thereof to which the opposite end portion of said fuse link is attached.

5. An electrical fuse cutout comprising an insulating support, an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal supported by said insulating support, an elongated element formed of electrical insulating material, a member supported for hinging movement by said insulating support which supports said elongated element, an element supported by said elongated element and hingedly connected to said member, resilient electrical conductive means for supporting said elongated element in its effective position, means including a fuse link disposed exteriorly of said elongated element for releasing said elongated element from said conductive means for hinging movement out of its effective position on rupture of said fuse link, said member having an extended part to which an end portion of said fuse link is attached and which is movable downwardly on rupture of said fuse link, and an arm supported by said elongated element exteriorly thereof to which the opposite end portion of said fuse link is attached.

ROBERT A. GESELLSCHAP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 622,885 Davis Apr. 11, 1899 674,076 Chesney May 14, 1901 1,851,250 Hart Mar. 29, 1932 2,081,814 Hermann May 25, 1937 2,189,588 Lincks Feb. 6, 1940 2,296,991 Fox Sept. 29, 1942 2,390,670 Steinmayer Dec. 11, 1945 

